The county and its insurers have agreed to pay Kevin Peterson Jr.’s family sum of $1.25 million

VANCOUVER – Clark County has agreed to settle a lawsuit arising from the Oct. 29, 2020, deputy-involved shooting of Kevin Peterson, Jr.  The county and its insurers have agreed to pay Peterson’s family a sum of $1.25 million.

Three Clark County Sheriff’s Deputies shot Mr. Peterson during a Clark-Vancouver Regional Drug Task Force drug “buy-bust” operation.  Peterson had armed himself with a Glock .40 handgun and fled on foot in an attempt to avoid arrest. Over the course of several minutes, deputies ordered Peterson to drop the gun and gave him numerous opportunities to surrender, but Peterson instead pointed his handgun at deputies. 

Clark County Prosecuting Attorney Tony Golik requested the Lower Columbia Major Crimes Team to conduct an independent investigation, and they agreed to do so.  Once that investigation was complete, the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office asked the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for an independent prosecutor review.  They conducted an independent review and determined the shooting was justified and lawful as, “There was no legal requirement for the officers to allow Mr. Peterson to fire first before defending themselves … ‘similarly situated reasonable’ police officers would uniformly ‘have believed that the use of deadly force was necessary to prevent death or serious physical harm to the officer or another individual.’”   

“While the loss of life is always tragic, I fully support the actions of my deputies, who acted in accordance with their training and the law to protect themselves and our community, said Sheriff John Horch. “We will continue to focus on our mission to serve and protect. I stand firmly behind the men and women of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.” 

This settlement allows the parties to move on from this unfortunate event, read a news release from the county Wednesday.

The Peterson family was represented by Vancouver attorney D. Angus Lee.

“We are grateful for the settlement that acknowledges the loss of Kevin Peterson Jr. while also holding the county accountable,’’ Lee said in a statement provided to Clark County Today Wednesday. “This case has highlighted the urgent need for improved training for officers, particularly regarding use of force and arrest procedures. While no amount of money can bring Kevin back, we hope this outcome serves as a step toward meaningful change within the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.

“The county’s willingness to take responsibility is an important message to the community,’’ Lee added. “Notably, the claims by Clark County that the officers were justified and entitled to immunity were carefully reviewed by four judges across two different courts, all of whom denied the county’s claims.

“We believe this settlement can lead to better practices that prioritize the safety and rights of all citizens,’’ Lee said. “Our goal is to ensure that the tragic circumstances surrounding Kevin’s death do not repeat themselves in the future.’’

Information in this report was provided by Clark Co. WA Communications.